Recited “لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي…” instead of “أُولَئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ”

Question

The following needs clarification. A certain person is leading the prayer; in the first rak‘a he correctly recites the first part of Surah al-Bayyina up to “أُولَئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ” (98:6), and in the second rak‘a, thinking that he is reciting the remaining part of that sura, he recites thus: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ (“Indeed, those who…

Answer

Reciting in this way did not distort the meaning, so the prayer is not spoiled; rather, it is valid. It is better (afdal) to recite a separate sura in each rak‘a.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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